


Homewrecker

by sparkinside (boomersoonerash)



Series: 52 Weeks of Stories [35]
Category: Hanson (Band)
Genre: Anthem Era, Beaches, Breakfast, Brother/Sister Incest, California, Conversations, Divorce, Domestic, F/M, Flirting, Incest, Kissing, Love, No Smut, Pancakes, Romance, Sexual Tension, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-08-23 12:11:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8327329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomersoonerash/pseuds/sparkinside
Summary: Avery feels like a bit of a homewrecker even if deep down she knows she isn't one.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is the continuation of last week's one-shot

Avery who was seated on the counter by the stove, couldn't help but smile as she watched Zac making their breakfast.

It was his first time cooking for her since taking cooking classes while Kate had been pregnant with Lucy and of course he had chosen to do it on the morning of their fourth day in California after she had badgered him to do it the other three days but he had refused.

"You're staring," Zac stated as he turned to look at her. "I feel like you're judging me and my awful strawberry pancakes."

Laughing Avery shook her head, "Not judging at all, just astonished at how well you're doing," she said honestly as she gave him a smile. "Those classes paid off huh?" she asked as he looked back at what he was doing. "Though I'm not exactly sure why you needed them. I mean you have Kate and you have me to cook for you."

"But what if I don't have Kate one day?" Zac asked so nonchalant and his words made Avery just stare at him in confusion because well he'd always have Kate. "Then I'll have to cook for myself. I mean boxed meals are okay but I can't see myself eating them all the time if Kate and I ever divorce."

Again Avery just stared at Zac as she let his words sink in but even then her brain was still having trouble processing.

"You and Kate aren't going to divorce," she joked as she shook her head. "As much as you two have a loveless marriage you're religion and your kids they keep you two tied together."

At that Zac heaved a sigh as he looked back up at her, "This isn't how I wanted to tell you my surprise Avie," he frowned as he shook his head. "I'd rather have done it in a more romantic setting during the right mood but Kate and I...we are divorcing. I gave her the papers before I left for Denver and she didn't put up much of a fight. Said she'd get a lawyer too and that we could figure out things when I get back."

Hearing Zac, Avery was struck silent by his words. They were words she hadn't ever expected him to say. That he was divorcing Kate after all these years.

They were also words that a part of her had maybe always wanted to hear as selfish as it was. Because if he was free of Kate at least then maybe he was free to be hers fully in some way.

Yet they were also words that made her feel guilty because if he had done it because of her then she was truly a homewrecker. Worse than what she already was.

"You're really getting divorced?" Avery asked with a raised eyebrow her eyes locking with Zac's as he nodded his head and it was in that instant she knew he was telling her the truth.

Biting her lip she looked away from him and down at her hands, "Is it because of me?" she asked her voice going soft.

"Partly," Zac answered as he cut the stove off and Avery looked back up, watching as he plated the last of the pancakes. "It's also partly because I realized it was right," he sighed as he moved to walk over to Avery, standing between her legs. "Like you said Kate and I had a loveless marriage and what good was that doing either of us? When we could find that with someone else."

"You mean so Kate could," Avery stated knowing that she was sure Zac had already found it in her a long time ago.

Zac nodded his head with a sheepish smile, "Yeah I meant so Kate could," he said as he reached out for her hands, taking them in his. "Please tell me you're okay with this and that you don't hate me. That you'll support me."

Sighing Avery squeezed his hands, "You know I'll support you," she told him with a smile of her own as she leaned in to peck his lips. "I love you Zac and I'll support anything you do. This just isn't something I expected," she said knowing she had thought of the possibility when he had told her in Denver about what his secret was about and she had dismissed it.

Never believing the possibility that he'd leave Kate.

"I just need time to process it and realize I'm not making this up," she laughed though it sounded a bit forced. "But you have my support," she said as she moved to get down from the counter. "Now can we eat because I'm hungry and I think you promised me a day of doing whatever I wanted to do and I kind of want to go to the beach with you and then maybe come back to the rental house and shower and go out to dinner at that nice little vegan place," she smirked as she left a kiss on his cheek before slipping past him.

"Maybe if you're lucky when we get back from dinner I'll give you a massage because you've felt tense for days," she finished with a shrug of her arms, knowing if she gave him a massage that it would likely lead to other stuff.

It always did with them.

Zac only groaned as he followed her to the table, "Yes, let's leave the fun stuff to the very end of the day," he said and Avery could practically hear the pout in his voice. 

"You'll survive," she told him honestly knowing in the end he would survive. He'd have too because Avery was only prolonging the good stuff to give herself more time to again process what he had confessed today.

To try not to feel so guilty in her part of the ending of a marriage even if it was loveless. It was still a marriage and it involved kids. Her nieces and nephews and she had ruined their family partly.

Zac and Kate themselves respectively taking the other part of the blame since it was their marriage and neither had even tried to fix it.

***

"You okay?" Zac asked and his voice was enough to bring Avery out of the thoughts she had been lost in ever since they arrived at the beach.

Thoughts of Zac's divorce and how she had played a part and thoughts of what this meant for them. What this meant for everyone really.

Avery nodded her head as she gave Zac a smile though it felt forced, "Just thinking is all," she shrugged as she moved up on her elbows slightly on the blanket they were both laying on. "Sorry if I seemed off or something."

"To be honest you've seemed off since I told you about my divorce," Zac sighed as he reached up to play with the end of her hair. "Are you sure you aren't mad at me for it?" he asked and even with the end of the baseball cap covering most of his face Avery could see his raised eyebrow.

"I'm not mad," Avery clarified with a sigh as she shook her head. "I guess I just feel guilty."

"Guilty?" Zac asked confusion evident in his tone. Like he had no idea why she'd feel guilty about things.

Avery sighed as she looked away from Zac's gaze.

"For the part I played in the divorce," she answered her gaze staying away from Zac's. "I feel like a homewrecker. Worse than what I am for just being your mistress," she told him as she shrugged her shoulders. "I ruined your family partly and your kids are going to have a broken home because of me."

Zac moved slightly and Avery felt his hand on top of hers. An action that made her turn to look at him again finally and once she had, that's when he decided to speak again.

"This isn't on you Avie baby," Zac told her and Avery wished she could believe him. "I mean yeah you played a role in it but it was helping me realize what I needed over what I had. I need someone who treats me like an equal and like I mean something. Not someone who just acts like I'm one of her children even if at times I act like a child. That's the biggest part you played. The rest is all Kate and myself in some measures and if I'm being honest I probably should have divorced her before I even started sleeping with you. Before we brought kids into this mess."

"But you didn't," Avery stated as she turned her hand slightly and let their fingers lace together.

Shaking his head, Zac squeezed her hand, "But I didn't," he repeated as he gave her a tiny smile. "Just stop blaming yourself because you aren't the main reason this is happening and you aren't the cause of it."

Avery nodded her head and she wasn't sure she fully believed him but maybe she did feel less guilty now. Less like his marriage ending was her fault in the end somehow.

"I love you Avery Laurel," Zac spoke as he finally leaned up to her level and moved in to kiss her on the lips softly. 

Kissing him back Avery smiled against his lips, "I love you too Zachary Walker," she said as she pulled away from the kiss and looked into his eyes. 

"Enough to leave the beach and go back to our rental house and have some fun before going to that vegan place?" Zac questioned and Avery could literally hear the hope in his voice that she'd give in. "You can even give me my massage now too."

Laughing softly Avery pecked Zac's lips, "Maybe," she spoke as she stood from the blanket. "It depends on how I feel on our short walk back to the rental," she smiled as she watched Zac scrambling to get up. "I'll still let you shower with me though," she said knowing either way they'd have to shower because she had sand in places she never wished to get sand at.

"You're such a rude little..." Zac started but stopped when he saw the playful glare Avery was shooting him. "I mean I love you baby."

"That better be what you were saying," Avery teased him as she waited until he had folded the blanket and had it on one arm before taking his hand and walking back to their rental house with him.

A part of her glad that he had gotten one so close to the beach. It was nice and relaxing especially at night because every night so far she had slipped out after dinner to just admire the stars and imagine. Imagine what it would be like to be with Zac freely without his wife or without them being related.

Which it did seem like she was getting part of that anyway. He was leaving Kate though she did know they could never undo their blood relation.

That was just a cruel fate the world had given them.

"Are you going to want me to leave Tyler?" Avery asked as she turned to look at Zac as they continued to walk. "Now that you're leaving Kate I mean. Do you want us to be exclusive and only with each other?"

"I'd like that," Zac said with a nod of his head. "Though in the end it's up to you."

Avery went silent at his words, knowing she liked that he was leaving that decision up to her. But she also knew what she'd decide. She'd always choose Zac and in the end she knew after this was all over she'd call Tyler up and end things.

Finally be as exclusive with Zac as they could be and maybe they'd both finally get their sort of happy ending. Even if some things would still of course have to be a secret.


End file.
